Current Design Trends In New Buildings

Developers of office and retail building developments are incorporating more state of the art family entertainment and open space recreational features in their designs in a bid to attract a higher calibre tenant.

Public parks perched high on CBD office buildings, cycling facilities and state of the art entertainment complexes as well as fitness club inclusions are just some of the trends being seen globally in new developments.

An example of this is Brisbane’s 480 Queen Street which features the first Australian public park rooftop. With its focus on sustainability, public art and precinct activation the next-generation building has set a new standard in Australian office design.

Focus is also being placed on the well being of tenants by using design aspects to encourage a move towards fitness, in addition to the traditional gym facilities found in many office/retail buildings.

The lobby of Jackson National Life Insurance’s headquarters in Lansing, Michigan, USA, features a grand stairwell in its foyer area. This is to encourage people to use the stairs instead of taking the elevator. A fitness centre flooded with daylight, a green roof and designated wetlands and woodlands surrounding the building are also some of the design elements used in the recent renovation and 230,000 square feet expansion of the building.

And on a much larger scale, Sydney’s Barangaroo precinct has incorporated the Harbour location into its design featuring a 2km waterfront walkway. Spaces for pop up stores or outlets are also a feature with restaurant pop up world renowned Noma chef’s Rene Redzepi offering in for a 10-week residency. This design feature also allows for art or fashion pop ups.

Design trends globally appear to be moving more and more towards bringing more of the recreational and family aspect into their planning with a strong push for a work/lifestyle balance with the view towards attracting and keeping high end tenant occupancy.